Posted on 10/18/2007 3:57:26 PM PDT by BradtotheBone
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday chastised the United States over its policy in Iraq and Iran, and announced "grandiose" military plans, including development of a new nuclear weapon. Putin, who is to step down at the end of his second term next year, also said he wanted the ruling United Russia party to preserve his policies after December parliamentary elections, confirming that he wants to retain major political influence after leaving office.
In a nationally broadcast link-up with ordinary Russians across the country, Putin called the US intervention in Iraq a "dead end" and called on Washington to set a deadline for the withdrawal of troops.
Putin suggested that Iraq had been invaded because of its oil wealth and assured one caller that energy-rich Russia could not suffer the same fate. To think so, he said, was "political erotica."
The White House quickly rebuffed Putin's comments, insisting there was a "good trend" in Iraq.
The hawkish Russian leader also swiped at Washington's tough stand on Iran's nuclear power programme, saying Moscow's insistence on negotiations was better than "threats, sanctions or even force."
In a video link-up with servicemen at the Plesetsk nuclear missile base, Putin said that Russia would build another nuclear submarine next year and was also planning a "completely new" atomic weapon.
"We have grandiose plans and they are absolutely realistic," Putin said, speaking hours after the military announced the successful test firing of a Topol intercontinental ballistic missile.
Putin's sixth phone-in during eight years in power came in for particular scrutiny for clues to Putin's future political career after December parliamentary and March presidential elections.
Putin, 55, has left the world guessing about what he will do after the March election, in which he is barred by the constitution from seeking a third consecutive term.
The former KGB officer who came to power in 2000 repeated that he will step down, saying "there will be another person here in the Kremlin in 2008."
He confirmed that he would campaign for the United Russia party in the parliamentary election, saying this party's victory would ensure that his policies over the last eight years continued.
"Imagine that people come to power who do not agree with these decisions, it would be easy to reverse them.... It is therefore extremely important that parliament is effective," Putin said.
Putin has previously said he is considering taking up the prime minister's post after leaving the Kremlin, but he appeared to scotch speculation that he wants constitutional changes transfering power from the Kremlin to the government.
He said he was "against cutting the powers of the president of Russia," Interfax said.
On the economy, Putin trumpeted economic growth of 7.7 percent, but conceded that the government was so far unable to control inflation of 8.5 percent and rising beyond "the planned parameters."
There has been a more than doubling of foreign investment, 13.4 percent increase in incomes, and 5.1 percent increase in pensions, he said, while gold and foreign currency reserves are at record levels.
Putin also claimed credit for a slowdown in the country's dramatic population plunge, saying that government benefits to families were having an effect.
Although Putin says he will step down next year, he remains by far the dominant political force in a country where there is almost no outspoken opposition.
Adding to the mystery, no major politician has yet expressed interest in seeking the presidency, while polls indicate the parliamentary election will give Putin's United Russia party an overwhelming majority.
Speculation is mounting that Putin will seek to remain in control even after quitting the presidency. Or he may return to the Kremlin for a third term after a break -- something the constitution does not bar.
Later Thursday Putin was to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Moscow for talks expected to focus on Iran's Russian-backed nuclear programme.
Putin was in Tehran on Tuesday, the first visit to Iran by a Kremlin leader since World War II.
Pelosi doesn’t have the ability to destroy the world with a phone call.
Time to go full speed ahead with domestic production of oil, oil shale and several hundred nuke plants. The $90 a barrel oil is making Putin giddy.
Statements to promote instability keep the oil traders jumpy.
But its not the Americans, its the Chinese or the Muslims who will do it, gradually and relentlessly. The Chinese and Muslims will just move in, as the Russian population in Siberia and southern Russia gets smaller and smaller as Russian women have fewer and fewer babies and younger women continue to abort their babies so casually, the typical Soviet style of birth control.
Putin is whistling past the graveyard and looking over his shoulder looking at old cold war ghosts while he should be looking at the red dragon and the jihadists lying in wait just ahead...
Putin is pushing his weight via fear and a wanton ability to be the leader of the late great USSR.
He's a puny grunt gasping for breath.
And I hear Congress refused President Bush’s request to make nuclear bombs here. Hmmmmm. I think our Congress should move to Russia.
I agree, he's got the wrong enemy in mind and is actually allying with the one (China) who he should really be worrying about.
Imagine how successful a real American-Russian alliance would be in repelling the Chinese and Muslim extremists...
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